Dark Secrets
by Sound of Madness
Summary: -slash- They managed to survive the first trial that brought them together. But will the secrets he carries break them apart? Sequel to Dark Saviour
1. Punishment

**Dark Secrets**

**Chapter 1 – Punishment**

**A/N: Well, here I am again. I managed to finish editing another story and have been able to focus on my own.**

**As was asked of by those who answered my questions at the end of **_**Dark Saviour**_**, I am bringing you the sequel to said story. I decided that I could not say good-bye to the characters for **_**Dark Saviour**_**. You will see the return of all the WWE superstars as well as the return of Bob and Fred. Cannot forget Bob and Fred. I hope everyone enjoys my creation.**

**I look forward to any and all reviews. Happy reading.**

…

Cena struggled in vain as he was dragged roughly down a hallway at the hotel the WWE Superstars were recently calling home. Although he knew that his chance for escape was slim, it wasn't in him to make things easy. After all, it wasn't fun if there was no challenge.

"_But then again, I'm on the receiving end this time. I don't think fun is on their mind."_ Cena thought to himself as he glanced at the people surrounding him. Although it was an impressive group he had to admit.

What had started out as an all-round beating by every single member of the WWE roster, minus himself and Layfield of course, had dwindled down to the six men around him now. Shawn Michaels and Rey Mysterio led the way while Kane and Hunter dragged him behind them, leaving Edge and Christian to bring up the rear. Though the group had received many strange glances from those they passed, none had come to intervene on his behalf, nor had any called the police to do it for them. Kane alone kept the entire trip quiet. He was just that formidable.

Finally, the group arrived at the hotel room they were heading for. Kane passed the door key to Shawn so that the smaller man could open the door. Once inside the hotel room, Kane and Hunter threw Cena to the ground where he remained in a crumpled heap.

"Now what?" Shawn asked as he stifled a yawn.

"I think it's bed time." Rey yawned as he stretched out his back.

"What? You guys want to leave the party early?" Hunter asked in shock. "There is still so much we can do."

Shawn shook his head. "I know that the guy is a pothole, but I think he's had enough."

"For the shit he's pulled, this is only the beginning." Kane growled.

"I know that. But I'm getting tired." Shawn sighed. "These old bones ain't what the used be."

Hunter rolled his eyes. "When did the great Shawn Michaels become a wimp?"

"I'm not a wimp." Shawn retorted. "But if you haven't noticed, we've been at this for . . ." He paused to look at his watch. "For just over an hour, plus Jeff and Mark beat on him for almost another hour."

"And?" Edge looked at Shawn expectantly.

"And now we are both tired." Rey replied, answering for Shawn. "So, you guys can continue the punishments while Shawn and I hit the hay."

"Party poopers." Edge muttered.

"They're not the only ones." Christian added.

"Not you too." Edge groaned.

Christian nodded. "Afraid so. I don't know about you, but that ladder match tonight just about did me in."

"You are all just a bunch on babies." Kane said, shaking his head.

"Well, look at it this way, between the Big Red Machine, the Cerebral Assassin, and the Rated R Superstar, there is more then enough brutality between the three of you to make sure that the pothole never forgets this night."

"He does have a point." Hunter nodded.

"Exactly." Shawn smiled sleepily.

"So, now we are off to bed." Rey replied as he took hold of Shawn's arm and led the other man out of the room, Christian following them.

Once the trio had left, the remaining trio sat around the fallen Superstar and began to plot out their next course of action.

"We could beat him up some more." Hunter suggested.

"Nah." Edge said. "We should really embarrass him."

"We could get the Diva's to beat him up." Hunter rectified.

"No." Kane answered. "They already did that. If he was planning on having any children . . ." He shuddered.

"Then what do you guys suggest?"

"How about I just crawl to my bed now?" Cena croaked from the floor.

"Shut it." Kane snapped as he kicked at Cena's ribs. "You don't have the permission to speak."

"Let's write 'dumbass' on his forehead in permanent marker." Edge smiled mischievously.

"Why 'dumbass'?" Hunter asked.

Edge shrugged. "Doesn't have to be 'dumbass'. It could be anything."

"That would be a good place to start." Kane admitted.

"So, what word should we write?" Hunter asked. "And where would we find a permanent marker?"

"Right." Edge muttered. "I forgot about that."

"Does anyone have a marker?" Kane asked as he looked at his companions.

"Does it look like I carry a purse?" Hunter retorted as he held his arms up for inspection.

Kane shrugged. "I never know with you people."

"You people?" Hunter questioned, one brow raised up in confusion.

"Yes, you people." Kane retorted. "You know, the guys who sleep around with other guys."

"I'll have you know that I am happily married." Hunter snapped.

Kane shook his head. "That's not what I've been hearing."

"What have you been hearing?" Hunter asked.

"Really? You're asking about what he's heard?" Edge asked in disbelief. "You do remember Shawn, right?"

"What about Shawn?"

Edge shook his head. "Never mind."

"What?"

"I think you hurt his feelings." Kane chuckled.

"How?"

"I said never mind." Edge snapped. "Does anyone know where we can get a permanent marker at this hour?"

"I'm sure Jeff has some, but I don't know if we want to go there." Kane said thoughtfully.

"Why not?" Hunter asked.

"Something tells me that he's busy tonight." Kane smirked. "Do you think that the front desk would have any?"

"Don't know." Edge replied. "But I'm about to find out." He smiled as he ran to the phone and called the front desk.

While Edge called the desk, Hunter and Kane stood to one side and talked about the matches that night. Cena took the opportunity to get up off the floor and made a run for the door.

"Tackle him!" Edge shouted suddenly, still holding the phone.

"I'm on him." Kane replied as he stretched out his arm to get a grip around Cena's waist. In one swift move, Kane had knocked Cena off his feet and onto the floor before dropping down and literally sat on him.

"That's one way to do it." Hunter laughed.

Edge fought the urge to laugh as he assured the front desk that everything was fine and under control.

"Get off of me!" Cena yelled as he squirmed under the weight of the Big Red Machine.

"Shut up." Kane snapped. "And quit moving before I knock you out."

At that, Cena shut his mouth and squirmed a little less. He didn't like the idea of being knocked out. He would rather know what the men were planning to do with him rather than trying to figure it out afterward.

Edge hung up the phone a few minutes later, shaking his head in disappointment. "They don't have any markers at the front desk. They only have pens."

"That won't do." Hunter muttered. "Someone around here must have a marker."

"Punk might have some." Kane said absentmindedly

"What?" Hunter and Edge asked.

"Punk. He might have something."

"It's worth a try." Edge nodded in agreement.

"What made you think of him?" Hunter asked.

Kane shrugged. "When I was working with ECW I roomed with him. He usually had some markers on him so that he could decorate his wrist tape. You know, to draw the big X on his hand."

"So he most likely has something." Edge smiled. "Do you know what room he's in tonight?"

"Next door ironically enough." Kane replied.

"I'll go check." Edge said as he ran out of the room.

Not sure what else to do, Kane and Hunter started to look about the room, the silence beginning to become uncomfortable. After what felt like hours, Edge ran back into the room, a huge smile on his face as he showed them the large, black marker in his hand.

"If you don't ask where it came from, Punk had something else for us to use on the pothole if we wanted." Edge said simply.

"I'm afraid to ask what it is." Hunter replied.

"You should be." Edge replied. "But it does give me an idea for what would really, really, embarrass the pothole."

"What is it?" Kane asked eagerly.

"Well, first we're going to write on Pothole's forehead." Edge said as he walked to the man that Kane was still sitting on.

As Cena moved his head around in an attempt to stop Edge from writing on him, Kane shifted his position and with the help of Hunter, held his head in place. Edge smiled and nodded at them in thanks before he began to write the two words on Cena's forehead.

"I'm glad you have short hair." Edge said as his eyes met with Cena's. "It saves me having to shave off your hair.

"Lucky me." Cena replied sarcastically.

"Of course you're lucky." Edge smiled. "I'm sure Glen wouldn't be gentle with you."

"You kidding me?" Kane snorted. "The only way to properly do something like that is to leave a permanent mark."

"See." Edge said as he motioned toward Kane.

"So, what did you write?" Hunter asked, deciding it was time to change the topic.

"Look for yourself." Edge replied.

Hunter moved to stand in front of Cena and looked almost disbelievingly at the words. "Why would you write that?"

"What is it? I can't see." Kane said as he looked between the other two superstars.

"It doesn't make sense." Hunter shook his head.

"You'll understand when you see what Punk gave me." Edge retorted as he moved to the bag on the floor.

Kane and Hunter watched in interest as Edge reached into the bag and pulled out a . . .

"You've got to be kidding me." Hunter laughed.

"Where the hell did he get that?" Kane asked.

"Told you not to ask that question." Edge replied as he held the bright, hot pink, tutu in his hand.

"What are we going to do with that?" Hunter asked, still not able to see the logic in this plan.

"Well." Edge smiled mischievously. "He also gave us directions to a gay biker bar down the road."

Kane burst out laughing. "That guy is a genius."

"What?" Hunter asked as he looked between Edge and Kane.

"Let's get this pothole dressed up and take him out tonight." Kane said as he got up off of Cena. "Time to go party."

….

Cena stumbled into his hotel room, his body feeling like it had been run over, repeatedly, by several large trucks.

_Or maybe tanks. Yeah, tanks sounds more logical. _Cena thought to himself as he dragged himself into the bathroom.

As he leaned against the sink, Cena dreaded looking up into the mirror. He still didn't know exactly what had been written on his forehead, but he had a good idea of what it was. Taking a deep breath, Cena closed his eyes as he brought his head up before he opened his eyes to look at the words.

'Fresh Meat'

"But of course." Cena smiled slightly, the humour of those words was not lost on him. His antagonists would have had a kick out of writing those two words on his forehead, dressing him up in a pink tutu and throwing him at the mercy of a group of big and angry gay bikers. He only wondered how long they had stayed there to watch him as he was surrounded. Cena shuddered involuntarily at the reminder.

Shaking his head, Cena stripped off his clothes, the tutu long gone, and stepped into the shower. He just stood under the spray of the water, letting the heat sink into his sure muscles and joints. If it wasn't bad enough that he had to face the wrath of the Deadman and Rainbow-Haired Warrior, as well as, feel the sting of betrayal at the hands of Batista, hours before being ambushed by almost the entire roaster of the WWE, he then had to live through that. Cena sighed again. Batista. The one person he had thought that would never fail him had failed him horribly.

_Apparently I didn't tighten his leash enough. _Cena thought bitterly. _And who knows what has happened to Layfield. Most likely received a similar fate as myself. Though, maybe not as bad._

Cena shook his head as he turned off the water. As he stepped out of the bathroom, still lost in his thoughts, the sound of laughter broke through to him. Looking up, Cena moved closer to the door to listen in on the conversation.

"So what do you think about taking a week or two off at the end of the month?" Undertaker was asking.

"I think that sounds great." Jeff replied. "I think that we deserve a break."

Taker chuckled. "You sure? I would think that you would want to take advantage of this high. Maybe go for a title run?"

"I don't think so." Jeff answered simply.

"Why not?"

"Hmm." Jeff paused as if in thought. "Because I can think of better things to do."

"Like what?"

"Hey! Will you two hurry up! We want to leave." Shawn yelled from somewhere down the hall.

"Coming." Jeff yelled back. "I'll tell you about it later."

Cena didn't get to hear any more as the two superstars moved to catch up with Shawn, and his guess, Rey. He leaned against the wall as his anger built. If it hadn't been for Shawn and Rey meddling in his plans, everything would have been going as he had envisioned. Jeff would still be under his thumb and he would be still working away at the Phenom's resolve. In a matter of weeks, he would have had the Deadman eating out of his hand, literally.

"But they had to interfere. They had to get in the middle of everything and bring them together; give them their faerie tale ending." Cena muttered bitterly. "Well, I can't have that. No, I can't have that."

Cena walked over to the night table and picked up his phone. No, he wasn't about to let the two of them have their happily ever after. He would have to just be very careful in how he did it. He would have to work in the shadows, keep his motives secret.

_But how? _Cena looked at the phone he held in his hand. "I need a new puppet."


	2. A Day to Relax

**Dark Secrets**

**Chapter 2 – A Day to Relax**

…**.**

Jeff sat on the front porch of Undertaker's home, taking in the heat of the sun. This was his type of weather: bright sunlight, cool breeze and the smell of a BBQ dinner wafting through the air. Sighing in contentment, Jeff wiggled his way further into the wicker chair, wanting to just close his eyes and take a nice, long, nap . . .

"Wakey wakey sleepy head."

Unfortunately that was not meant to be.

Cracking his eyes open a little against the glare of the sun, Jeff could make out the silhouettes of two individuals standing right in front of him. Tilting his head slightly to get the light out of his eyes, Jeff smiled up at the two men.

"I'm not sleeping." He replied as he tried to stifle a yawn in the process. "I'm just enjoying my last week of rest and relaxation."

"Who would have thought that he would get any rest being out here? Relaxation maybe, but rest?" Shawn smiled as he gave Jeff a subtle wink.

"They have to get tired at some point don't they?" Rey answered, shaking his head at the Heart-Break Kid.

"And whoever said that I couldn't be both rested and relaxed while here?" Jeff asked, his brow rose expectantly at the two of them.

"Well, aren't you really busy lately?" Shawn retorted.

"Now what could I possibly be busy doing?" Jeff asked simply. "It's not like I have anything that needs to be done immediately, do I?"

"Guess it all depends on how you define it." Shawn giggled childishly.

"Oh, go bug Mark for a while." Rey chided. Shawn merely stuck out his tongue before running off to go find the Deadman. Rey shook his head; not wanting to think of the trouble Shawn was about to get himself into. Turning back to Jeff, Rey smiled. "Sorry about that."

Jeff shrugged. "I'm not the one who has to live with him."

"It's not that bad." Rey sighed. "You just need to have a lot of patience and love."

"Which you seem to have tons to spare." Jeff replied.

"One does strange things when they are in love." Rey smiled.

"So, are you going to tell me?"

"Hmm, what?" Rey stammered, his mind being brought back from the past.

"Are you going to tell me who you loved and lost all those years ago?"

"When did I say that?"

"When you and Shawn were telling me that you'd have Mark begging for me by the end. Which, by the way, he hasn't been."

"What?"

"Mark hasn't been begging me to do anything." Jeff repeated. "When is the begging supposed to start?"

"Who's begging who now?"

"Matt!" Jeff exclaimed as he jumped out of the chair to hug his brother.

"Wow!" Matt smiled. "What the hell is he feeding you? I haven't gotten that kind of reception in years."

"It hasn't been that long has it?" Jeff pouted as he looked at his brother.

"How long did Cena have you all but wrapped around his finger?" Matt asked.

Jeff's shoulder's slumped in defeat. "You had to bring that up." He muttered, his eyes down cast.

"Way to bring him down." Rey chided, shaking a finger at Matt.

"It's okay, Rey." Jeff smiled as he winked at Rey. "I'm just bugging him."

"No, no. He's right." Matt replied. "I shouldn't have said anything."

"I'm over it anyway." Jeff shrugged his shoulders as he looked up at the two men in front of him, a big smile on his face.

"Really?" Both Rey and Matt asked together.

"Why wouldn't I be?" Jeff asked in return. "Why would I stay in the past when I've got a great future to look at?"

"Are you sure you didn't mean a great ass to look at?"

Everyone turned to find Shawn standing in the doorway, his hands on his hips, watching them expectantly.

"I didn't want to make my brother deaf by saying that." Jeff admitted sheepishly as he glanced sideways at his brother.

"You honestly think that after all this time I'm not used to the fact that my brother loves a guy?" Matt asked in shock.

Jeff, Rey and Shawn all looked at each other before responding, "No."

"Why not?"

"It's you." Jeff replied simply. "I highly doubt that you've changed your mind that quickly."

"But I told you that I approved of your choice before you even started to date him!" Matt retorted.

"Of course you did." Shawn smiled, shaking his head.

"It's true." Matt replied.

"But how many times did you tell him that you wanted nothing to do with his new love life?" Rey asked suddenly.

"So I don't want to know all the dirty details of his sex life." Matt conceded. "Is that so bad?"

"Yes." Shawn and Rey said together.

Matt looked at the two men in confusion. "Why?"

"Because you're his family. You should be there to listen to all the things he wants to talk about." Shawn answered simply.

"What if I don't want to talk about that portion of my love life?" Jeff asked suddenly.

Shawn looked at Jeff as though he had grown a second head. "Why wouldn't you want to discuss it?"

Jeff shrugged. "Maybe I want to keep the details to myself."

"But you're with the Phenom!" Shawn exclaimed. "People are going to want to know how he performs outside the ring!"

"Well that's private information." Jeff replied. "And I don't want to share it with anyone."

"That's fine by me." Matt smiled as he clapped Jeff on the back. "I don't need to know that kind of information."

"Why don't you?" Shawn asked, hoping he could get Matt on his side.

"I didn't want to know about his sex life when he was with a girl. I really don't need to hear about his sex life with a guy."

"You're no fun." Shawn pouted.

"Sorry, Shawn." Matt said, shrugging his shoulders.

"So, how was your trip?" Jeff asked, deciding it was time to change the subject.

"Uneventful." Matt answered simply.

"Really?" Rey said as he looked up at Matt.

"Strange, I know." Matt smiled. "But everything went as expected: no flight delays, no emergencies, no lost luggage."

"Lucky." Rey shook his head. "Our flight was delayed for 5 hours."

"Why?"

Rey shrugged. "Weather problems."

"Got to love the weather related delays." Shawn chuckled. "You never know how long those will last."

"Makes me glad that we got out here last week." Jeff smiled. "We didn't have any problems coming here."

"Yeah, well, I'm sure the weather was terrified of getting in Mark's way." Shawn smiled. "The Deadman would not have been happy if your flight was delayed due to weather."

"He would have taken his bike and driven all the way here instead of being stuck at an airport terminal." Rey agreed.

"Hence why they had no problems." Shawn smiled.

"Someone's having problems?"

All four of the men turned around to look at the person who spoke. Jeff smiled up at the tall, dark figure that stood behind the rail of the front porch. His bright green eyes were looking between the four men on the porch, lingering ever so slightly on Jeff. His brow rose expectantly.

"Hey, Mark. No, no one is having problems." Jeff answered simply.

"We were merely talking about flight delays and how you two didn't have any problems with that." Rey smiled briefly. "Aren't you supposed to watching the food?"

"I am." Undertaker replied.

"You are?" Matt asked, confused.

"I am. I sent Shawn back here to tell people that the food was ready." Taker paused briefly. "But, when people weren't heading to the back I figured I'd check to see if Shawn got lost."

"I don't get lost." Shawn retorted.

"If you didn't have Rey giving you directions you'd have never made it here in the first place." Taker answered simply.

"Anyway, foods ready?" Jeff interrupted in hopes of keeping the smaller man from getting into a fight with the Deadman. That would not go over very well.

Undertaker looked up at Jeff and nodded. "Yes."

"Great, I'm starved." Jeff smiled as he stood up, stretching out the kinks that had appeared while he was dozing off in the chair. Apparently, though he had felt comfortable, his body thought differently. Once he had stretched out his body, Jeff leapt over the railing and followed Taker to the back of the house. Though he could have followed the rest of the guys and walked through the house, it was too nice a day to spend any of it inside.

_Especially when he's outside too…_ Jeff thought to himself as he watched the Deadman disappear around the corner and onto the back deck.

"You better stop that or you'll start drooling."

"I don't drool, Matt." Jeff retorted, glancing briefly over at his brother.

Matt snorted. "With the way you were watching him, I think you'll start soon."

Jeff shoved his brother lightly. "How could you ever think of me drooling after another man?"

"I told you, I'm okay with you dating other guys." Matt replied, playfully shoving Jeff back.

"But drooling?"

Matt shrugged. "Can't I make fun of my brother?"

"You never said anything like that when I was dating girls." Jeff pointed out.

Matt paused. "True." He admitted. "Guess it's more fun bugging you now."

Jeff pouted. "Why must you tease me?"

"Oh, come on. You know you love it."

"No, I don't." Jeff smiled as he shoved playfully at his brother before running the rest of the way to the back deck where he could hide behind Taker. Undertaker looked up at Matt as he walked up the stairs in confusion.

"Did I miss something?" Taker asked.

"Nope." Matt smiled. "You haven't missed anything at all."

Undertaker's brow rose as he glanced over at Jeff who was currently using him as a human shield. "What did you do?"

"I didn't do anything." Jeff said defensively.

Taker's brow rose. "And I'm being used as a human shield because?"

"He's bugging me." Jeff answered, pointing at his brother.

Matt shrugged when Undertaker's gaze fell on him. "I don't know what he's talking about. I wasn't bugging him."

Jeff scoffed. "Yeah, right."

"What was he saying then?" Undertaker asked.

Jeff looked up at the Deadman, his mouth open as if to reply, then he closed it quickly as he looked away in embarrassment. "Nothing."

Undertaker looked at Jeff in confusion. "Nothing?"

Jeff merely nodded before moving to take his spot at the table. Undertaker looked over at Matt who merely shrugged his shoulders and took up the spot across from his brother. Taker shook his head and turned back to the barbeque at the same time that Shawn and Rey stepped through the backdoor and onto the deck. Neither men seemed to take notice of the silence as Rey took a seat next to Matt and Shawn took up the seat next to Jeff.

"What am I, am server? Come and get it." Taker said as he picked up a spatula.

"Sorry, Mark." Jeff said as he jumped out of his seat and made his way over to the barbeque. "Please and thank you." He smiled as he held up his plate.

Undertaker chuckled softly as he placed the burger on Jeff's plate. As soon as everyone had their food, more food was put on to cook and they all were seated, the group ate and talked about everything that had happened over the past three weeks Jeff and Undertaker had been away.

"You really should have been there." Shawn laughed. "The look on his face was priceless."

"Poor Jay." Jeff said, shaking his head as he tried to hide a smile. "I bet he wasn't so amused."

"I think that he took it well enough." Matt shrugged. "He's pretty good with stuff like that."

"Yeah, but . . ."

"But nothing, it was fun." Shawn smiled.

"On another topic, when are you guys scheduled to come back?" Rey asked as he looked between Jeff and Taker.

"I'll be back next week." Jeff answered. "I'm scheduled to make an appearance on the next episode of SmackDown."

"And what about you?" Rey asked, turning to look at Taker when he didn't respond.

The Deadman shrugged. "I don't know yet."

Matt, Shawn and Rey looked at Taker in confusion. "What? Why not?"

Undertaker shrugged. "I haven't completely decided when I want to return."

"He's thinking about retirement, actually." Jeff said, receiving a glare for Undertaker.

"Why are you even considering retirement?" Shawn asked, disbelief written all over his face.

Undertaker leaned back in his chair. "We both are not as young as we used to be. That match at WrestleMania had me thinking of how many more of those I have in me."

"Well, hopefully that type of match isn't needed anytime soon." Jeff replied.

"If you have to fight in another match like that, then the Deadman has lost his touch." Rey said simply as he played with the label on his bottle.

"Exactly." Shawn agreed. "So there is no reason for you not to return."

"What if I lose my touch?" Taker asked, his brow rose in challenge.

"Then I'll kick your ass and fight the match for you." Shawn replied, shrugging his shoulders.

Rey shook his head. "I think that Jeff and I would be a better match in the ring against any opponent. We are younger than both of you."

"Ouch, that hurt." Shawn muttered as he held a fist to his heart.

"Get over it." Jeff smiled. "You still look good at your age."

Shawn smiled and winked at Jeff. "Wishing that you had gotten to me sooner?"

"Hell no." Jeff said, trying to keep his face serious.

"Why not?" Shawn pouted.

"Mark looks a lot better than you." Jeff answered seriously. "If anything I wish I got to him sooner."

Shawn laughed. "I bet you do."

Both Rey and Undertaker shook their heads.

"The men we love." Rey muttered as he glanced up at Taker who only nodded in response. Rey frowned slightly at the lack of response for Taker. As Jeff, Matt and Shawn continued their conversation, Rey moved closer to Undertaker.

"Are you alright, Mark?" Rey whispered, his concern showing on his face.

Undertaker's brow rose in confusion. "Yeah, why?"

"You just seem . . . distant."

Taker shrugged. "I'm fine. I don't know what you're seeing."

"Alright." Rey conceded. "If you say so."

"What are you expecting?"

"Nothing." Rey shook his head. "You just seemed a little off there for a moment."

"A little off?"

Rey shrugged. "I'm not really sure." He admitted.

"Then how do you know I'm a little off?"

"Same way I knew there was something wrong that night you were sitting on that bench after Jeff was suspended."

"If I remember properly, I also asked you what was wrong with me." Undertaker reminded Rey.

"True." Rey admitted. "But I sensed something was wrong before you even said anything."

"Oh?"

Rey shrugged. "It's not often you see the Phenom sitting on a public bench in a hotel, let alone when he's staring off into space."

"I wasn't staring off into space."

"Mark," Rey sighed, "I am one of the few people who can say that they know you. I can tell when you are troubled by something and when you are off in your own little world."

Taker shook his head. "I guess I was just thinking about if and when I would return to the ring."

"Is that all?" Rey asked his head tilted a little to the side. It was obvious that he believed that there was more to the situation than Undertaker was letting on.

"That's all." Taker nodded. "I have to make my decision soon."

"How soon?"

"The sooner the better."

Rey nodded in understanding. "What are you leaning toward?"

Undertaker sighed and shook his head. "I really don't know. I don't want to leave . . . but . . ."

"But your body is telling you differently." Rey continued when Taker paused.

"Pretty much." Undertaker said as he looked up at the sky.

Rey leaned forward in his seat. "Are you worried about leaving him alone?"

Undertaker looked at Rey, a frown on his face. "What are you talking about?"

"Him." Rey answered, nodding slightly in Jeff's direction. "Are you worried about leaving him alone so quickly?"

"He's fine."

"I know he's fine. But he's been with you for the past two weeks."

"What does that have to do with anything?"

Rey rolled his eyes. "It means he's been able to relax, to become comfortable with himself again." When Taker remained silent, Rey continued. "To use a phrase Shawn likes, you're his knight in shining armor. You're his protector."

"Are you saying that if I am out of the picture, on a regular basis, that he would be abused again?" Undertaker asked in disbelief as he leaned in closely to Rey.

Rey shrugged. "I'm no psychiatrist and, in all honesty, I don't think anyone of the roaster would allow him to be picked on let alone abused again. Doesn't mean that he won't become a recluse."

Undertaker leaned back in his chair, staring off in the distance before shaking his head. "He's not weak."

"I wasn't saying that." Rey retorted. "But Jeff is not the same now as he was before you two left. I am a little concerned that he will change back, even a little, if you aren't with him."

Taker snorted. "He's not dependent on me. He can, and will, take care of himself."

Rey looked over at Jeff. "I hope you're right."

"Why wouldn't I be?" Undertaker asked. "When he confronted me at the Hall of Fame he could have easily ran away. He could have said nothing. But he stood his ground and would not budge, no matter what I said."

"He knew that Shawn and I would have forced him to talk to you." Rey replied simply.

"So, you're telling me that if I was mean to him, if he came back to you in tears, that you would have still forced him to come talk to me?" Taker asked, his brow rose slightly in challenge.

"I . . . I . . ." Rey shook his head. "No."

"Of course you wouldn't have. You would have protected him." Taker said, shaking his head. "And I believe that he knew that. The fact that he stayed, even though I gave him absolutely no reason to stay after the first few seconds he was there, means that he won't go back down that road."

Rey nodded. "You're right."

"Of course I am." Taker nodded.

"Hey! What are you two whispering about?" Shawn asked suddenly.

Rey looked at Taker briefly before meeting Shawn's gaze. "Nothing."

"Are you sure?"

Rey nodded. "Yes. So, what's for dessert?"


End file.
